For

I rushed straight to Bella’s lab after leaving the annex.

If Ellie were to hear that I rejected Bella’s offer and got ostracized, Roel would definitely talk to Bella and resolve the issue.

I had to warn her in advance before she caused more damage to those around me. On the other hand, I also wanted to vent the anger that was surging within me on Bella.

When I knocked on Bella’s lab door, Claire, Bella’s escort knight whom I had seen before, opened the door.

Ignoring her question about what was going on, I approached Bella, who was leisurely drinking tea, and overturned the table.

,What do you think you’re doing-,”

I grabbed Bella’s neck tightly as she got angry.

,If you keep doing this, I’m going to want to kill you.”

Bella, realizing that I was serious, glared at me and let out a small groan.

,What do you think you’re doing!”

Claire, who had followed me, drew her sword.

I let go of her hand as I watched Bella’s pale face turn bright red.

,It’s okay, stand down.” 

At Bella’s words, Claire put away her sword, but glared at me with fierce eyes.

Bella, stroking the clear handprint left on her white neck, smiled as if she was enjoying it.

,Haa, what could have made Ross, who didn’t even flinch during torture, lose his mind?”

Bella got up from her seat, wiped the tea water from her hands on my shoulder, and whispered softly.

,Could it be because of Luna?”

I flinched involuntarily at the name Luna coming from Bella’s mouth, and Bella gave a snake-like smile.

,If it’s just for that reason, I’m too disappointed? To think you’re such a fool to risk your life for a woman. I thought I had misjudged you, but I guess not?”

I growled and said in a low voice.

,Shut your mouth, Bella. I’m warning you, don’t touch anyone around me again.”

,Pfft.”

Bella burst out laughing at my warning. I clenched my fist at her dismissive attitude.

,Doesn’t a commoner know that just saying such things to royalty is punishable?”

At Bella’s relaxed smile, I wordlessly took out the Spear of Destruction from my dimensional storage.

Claire, startled by my sudden action, shouted.

,Back away immediately!”

Ignoring Claire, who was pointing her sword at me, I fixed my gaze on Bella and said.

,You know what, Bella?”

A sneer appeared on my lips.

,Even royalty begs for their lives in the end, grabbing onto legs and pleading. The class of royalty, that kind of thing is equal in the face of death.”

At my words, Bella instead raised the corners of her lips. 

,You’re just trash who can’t even protect the woman you love with your own strength. You should have thought that if you reveal your weaknesses, you’ll be attacked.”

Bella took out her staff and pointed it at me. Then, she made an innocent expression as if she really didn’t know.

,Rather, shouldn’t you be thanking me for giving you the opportunity to make up for your weaknesses? Next time, you won’t even be able to warn me and you’ll lose her forever.”

Hearing the commotion, knights rushed into the lab.

I burst out laughing at the sight of them immediately pointing their weapons at me as they saw me and Bella facing off.

,Shut your fucking mouth, kneel down and apologize.”

I said, drawing up my magic power. The blade of the Spear of Destruction turned red, and a subtle pulse spread from the tip of the spear.

,If you refuse, I’ll make you do it by force.”

As I created a dimensional entrance and prepared to fight. 

Suddenly, a voice echoed through the lab.

,Stop.”

Everyone’s movements froze as if they were frozen by the voice filled with magic power. The magic power I was drawing up was suppressed in an instant.

It was Nelson who appeared, pushing through the knights.

,The festival is almost over, shouldn’t we all stop doing this and have one last beer together?”

Nelson said with a gentle smile.

,Should I just let Ross, who came to the Crown Princess’s quarters to kill her, go like this?”

Nelson shook his head at Bella’s sarcastic voice.

,Ross didn’t come to kill the Crown Princess. He came to get angry at Bella, a senior at the academy.”

Claire opened her mouth as if to refute Nelson’s words.

,But-“

,What happens at the academy is resolved at the academy. This is a fair statement to everyone. Are you trying to bring up class distinctions in front of me at the academy right now?” 

Claire, cut off by Nelson’s low voice, bit her lip.

,Of course, it’s clear that Ross did something wrong, so as the headmaster of the academy. I think it’s right for me to give him a punishment.”

Bella took a step back at Nelson’s mediation.

,If the Sage-nim wants it, then you must do so.”

Nelson nodded to Bella, who was giving a relaxed smile, and then approached me.

,Ross, follow me.”

I sighed, put the Spear of Destruction into my dimensional storage, and followed Nelson. I didn’t forget to give Bella, who was giving me a joyful smile, a warning look.

*

I thought I was going to be punished, but the place I arrived at following Nelson wasn’t the headmaster’s office, but a place that sold sweet honey beer. 

Nelson burst out laughing at my bewildered expression.

,I told you we’d have one last beer together.”

I accepted the beer glass that Nelson handed me. Nelson, who had finished his beer in one go, smacked his lips as if he was disappointed.

,It’s very delicious.”

Hearing Nelson’s words, an employee who was passing by gave a happy smile. Later, the rumor that it was honey beer praised by the Sage might spread.

I also took a sip of beer and put the glass on the table. Nelson, eating the peanuts he received as a service from the employee, said.

,Ross, have you ever heard the saying that you shouldn’t be dragged around by the emotion of anger?”

,Yes.”

,That’s bullshit.”

,…?”

I stared blankly at Nelson’s unexpected words, and Nelson chuckled.

,We live for happiness and act for fun, so why should we exclude the emotion of anger? They all start from the same heart.”

Nelson continued, handing me the peanuts he had peeled himself. 

,Despair, hope, depression, happiness. They’re all emotions that you feel. There’s no need to turn away from those emotions just because they’re negative.”

With a warm smile, Nelson put his hand on my shoulder.

,But whatever it is, your heart shouldn’t come first. Your heart should walk the path that reason has set. This is advice mixed with the experience of an old man who has lived a long time.”

I nodded and drank my beer. I know what Nelson’s words mean.

He’s telling me not to lose my reason and act impulsively.

I was looking at Nelson, who was diligently peeling peanuts, when I suddenly had a thought and said.

,I found the Trial Room in the club room.”

,Oh, that’s right, that was there. It’ll be a very good training. You can get used to death.”

Nelson’s eyes lit up.

,It’ll be a great help when you have to make a choice someday.”

Nelson’s words didn’t contain any magic power, but they contained a strange power.

I had a feeling that these words would suddenly come to mind someday.

,If you pass all the Trial Rooms, there will be a good reward.”

Nelson handed me the peanuts, shook his hands, stood up, and left with a smile.

I sighed as I watched his retreating figure.

Roel has the reason of family, but I don’t know why Nelson is being so kind to me.

Is there something he expects from me?

I ate the remaining beer and peanuts and got up from my seat.

One by one, people were seen leaving the academy. I also saw people cleaning up their stalls.

The fun festival is finally coming to an end.

I was thinking about going straight back to the dormitory when I turned my steps, thinking that Luna might still be in the club room.

When I opened the door to the club room, I could see Luna reading a book alone.

,You haven’t left yet?”

When I asked with a voice that couldn’t hide my joy, Luna gave a pretty smile.

,Yeah, I thought Ross would come.” 

I gave a soft smile at Luna’s answer.

,Let’s go, I’ll take you to the dormitory.”

Luna, who got up from her seat and put the book back on the bookshelf, naturally grabbed my hand. The warmth felt in my hand felt good.

After leaving the main building, we were walking along the night road, talking about this and that. Luna suddenly let go of my hand.

When I stopped and looked back at Luna, she gave a bright smile and said something out of the blue.

,Ross, please ask me anything.”

,Huh? Suddenly?”

,Yeah, I want to answer anything.”

I scratched my cheek in embarrassment at her sudden confession.

I was thinking about what to ask when one thought came out of my mouth.

,Are you happy when you’re with me?”

Perhaps influenced by what Bella had said, I asked Luna that question.

Luna didn’t answer my question. She just struggled to raise her left hand to me and made a circle with her thumb and index finger.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the circle she struggled to make with her trembling hand.

,You’ve gotten a lot better.”

Luna used to have a hard time just spreading her fingers. I know how much effort she must have put in to make just one circle.

Luna smiled happily and snuggled into my arms. Then, she looked up at me in my arms without saying a word. 

For a long time, we looked at each other without saying a word and laughed for no reason. I realized that I had asked a stupid question.

It was a question I already knew the answer to. There was no need to confirm it.

The festival was over, and the visitors who had filled the academy with the warmth of people disappeared. A quiet silence and desolation remained on the road. 

I grabbed Luna’s hand. The warmth that touched my fingertips in front of the road where darkness was approaching was as warm as ever.

,Let’s go.”

Luna gave a pretty smile and shook her head gently.

,Then Ross will have to come back this way alone, so no.”

Saying that, Luna pulled my hand and walked a few steps forward and stopped.

Moonlight fell on the night sky. The approaching darkness loses its power in the moonlight.

Luna’s smile, who let go of my hand, was more beautiful than ever.

,I’m worried about Ross too, so let’s part in the middle. This way, you can walk only half the way alone.”